Hitherto, in conventional movie production, etc., in order to have to ability to acquire special video effect, there is performed a photographing in which photographing speed of film camera, i.e., the number of frames per second is varied. For example, when it is assumed that photographing operation is performed at a speed higher than ordinary speed and reproducing operation is performed at ordinary speed, reproduced image results in slow reproduced image. For this reason, it is possible to observe, easily and in detail, high speed operation such that droplet is fallen onto water surface. Moreover, when it is assumed that photographing operation is performed at a speed lower than ordinary speed and reproducing operation is performed at an ordinary speed, reproduced image results in high speed reproduced image. For this reason, feeling of speed at grappling or fight scene or car chase scene, etc. is enhanced so that it is possible to perform image presentation having high presence.
Moreover, in television program production, etc., digitization of image pick-up, editing and/or sending, etc. of program is performed, whereas digitization is being performed also at movie production, etc. by realization of high picture quality and/or low cost of equipment followed by development of digital technology.
Further, there is provided an image pick-up apparatus which permits frame rate to be variable in order to have ability to easily obtain special video effect such as high speed reproduction or slow reproduction, etc. (e.g., see Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2000-125210 publication). If the above-mentioned image pick-up apparatus is used to perform image pick-up operation in the state where frame rate is caused to be lower than the predetermined frame rate to reproduce the picked-up image at a predetermined frame rate, it is possible to obtain high speed reproduced image with ease. In addition, if image pick-up operation is performed in the state where the frame rate is caused to be high to reproduce the picked-up image at a predetermined frame rate, it is possible to obtain slow reproduction image with ease. For example, a signal recorder, e.g., video tape recorder, etc. in which frame rate at the time of recording an image signal (hereinafter referred to as “recording frame rate”) is constant is used, and an image pick-up apparatus serves to generate a signal in which frame of picked-up image is included in a signal having recording frame rate by variable frame rate to deliver the signal thus generated to the signal recording apparatus such as video tape recorder (VTR), etc.
The signal recorder records variable speed frame rate picked-up image onto or into a recording medium by using an image signal which has been delivered from the image pick-up device. When the variable speed frame rate picked-up image which has been recorded on or in the recording medium is reproduced, in the case where the frame rate of the variable speed frame rate picked-up image is lower than frame rate at the time of reproduction (hereinafter referred to as “reproduction frame rate”), motion of object becomes faster as compared to actual motion, whereas in the case where the frame rate of the variable speed frame rate picked up image is higher than the reproduction frame rate, motion of object becomes slow as compared to actual motion. For this reason, it is possible to easily obtain special video effect.